Aeroplane.



E. H. WYMAN.

ABROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8, 1914.

1,128,395. Patnted Feb. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. H. Wr-MAN.

ABRPLANE.

pgpga APPLICATION FILED APB.B, 1914. Patented Feb' 16, Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WW1/wooda Y UNWED STATES PATENT OFFXCE. l

EDWARD H. WYMAN, F AIKII'JN,4 SOUTH CAROLINA.

anaormnn Specification of Letterslatent. Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

Application med april s, 1914. serial No. 830,'398.

' To all whom it may concern:

' planes, toward the rear, thus, in eect, turn-- Be it k'nown that I, EDWARD H. WYMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aiken, in the county of Aiken and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and otherflying machines which are heavier than air and are sustained by the action of moving' planes upon the air.

The invention more particularly 4relates` to devices having special construction and relation'to each other, and contrived `for the purpose of placing thewei'ght of practically all the heavier bodies carried by the machine below the planes. By such .arrangement of the weight a substantial increase of stability is attained, but, the action of the air against the bodies thus carried below the planes tends to turn the planes downwardly in front, and it is also an` object of this invention to provide' means of particular construction and arrangement enabling the op; r

erator to draw the weight carried below the ing the forward edges of the planes upwardly and counteracting the tendency of `1 the air as above mentioned to incline them downwardly. The same means may beeinployed to incline the planes upwardly when 1t is desired that the machine shall mount upwardly, 'as more'fully set out hereinbelow. The desired adjustment of the main planes 'is materially aided by the proper manipu lation of a horizontal rudder. By reason of the construction of this invention, which encludes a frame pivotally suspended from the 'main' planes and arranged to be swung eitherto the rear as stated, or to the front, it will be understood that the weight, carried low down by the suspended frame', will, when shifted to the rear by swinging the suspended frame rearwardl tend to elevate the forward' edges of t e .main planes,

while a forward movement of the weight' brought-about by swinging the suspended frame toward the front will tend to correspondingly depress the front'edges of the main frames and to elevate the back portions, thus inclim'ng the planes for a downward movement of the whole.

In addition to the means provided for swinging the weight forward or rearward for the purposes stated, it is an object ofthis invention to support a platform upon the suspended frame, and at'the lower part of the frame, to carry the weight, and the platform is arranged to be moved sidewise with respect to the suspended frame, and, at the same time to be moved backward or forward with the frame. The devices, usually hand-operated, for swinging the suspended ance or change of direction, and thus restore the planes to the desired horizontal position.

A skilled operator will employ the' movement'of the suspended frame rearwardly, to enable him to brin the whole to rest upon the ground after flight, with the least practicable jar or shock. l

The accompanying drawings forming a part of this application include Figure 1 which represents aside view of this invention in the position of normal, horizontal liight. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view showing the frontof-'the main vated. Fig. 3 is an enlarged si e view of the lever carried by the platform and movably engaging the rectangular shaft, shown in section, yThe section of the' platform is taken lengthwise through the slot that permits the lever to operate. Fig. 4 'is a front view of this invention. Fig. 5 is a side view ofthe lever for moving the platform side wise in either direction with respect 'to the 'suspended frame. The section of the latform and of the arm engaged by the ever is taken on the broken line m-m of Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-section. of one of the roller clipsupon which the platform is carried. Fig. 7 is a (plan view ofthe latform and parts carrie thereby, taken om below, the platform. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of one of the extensible shaftconnections.

In the drawings and throughout: the speciy ication the same number is used to refer to thev same part. f

lanes elef Considering the drawings, the principal portion 1 comprising the main planes, has the rigidly attached rearwardly-extending frame 2, provided with a horizontal rudder 3, operated by the tiller 4, to which the ends 5 and 6 of the steering cord are fastened. The cord passes around .the grooved pulley 7 at the top of vertical shaft 8 carried by the planes, and the shaft includes two universal or ball joints 9 and 10 and an eX- tensible joint 11, to allow `for the sidewise and back and forth swing of the shaft as referred to hereinbelow. The shaft 8, and, consequently, the horizontal rudder 3, is

loperated by the hand lever 12, that engages the toothed quadrant 13, and is within convenient reach of the operator occupying seat. 14 on the platform 15. The platform is carried by a frame pivotally suspended from the main planes and comprising the curved side supports or braces 16, 17 and 18, each connected with the planes by a ball joint such as the joint 19. Vertical rods such as the rods 20 and 21 form parts of the suspended frame on either side of the platform, and the rods pvotally support a carriage 22 upon which the whole rests when upon the ground. v

The platform is easily moved sidewise by reason of the employment of roller-bearing clips such as shown in Fig. 6. The clip is marked 23, the roller is designated 24, and the front tube or rod of the lower portion of the suspended frame isreferred to by the number 25. At the back, the suspended frame has a tube or rod 26 parallel with tube 25, and connecting the curved braces atthe back.

.,Uponthe platform 15 is a motor 27, that drives 'a vertical shaft 28, and the shaft includes the ball joints 29 and 30, and the shaft connection 31. As best illustrated in Fig. -8, the shaft 28 is divided within the connection 31, and one end of the shaft has a pin a engaging a longitudinal slot b in the connection. rlhe other end of the shaft 28 is secured to the connection by means of the pin c. l do not limit my invention to any particular form of universal joint or extensible shaft connection. By means of the connection set out in Fig. 8, and, the connection 11 for the vertical shaft 8 is of like construction, the shafts may become lengthcned or shortened as the platform swings or moves and still act'to rotate the parts with which the shafts are engaged at their upper ends. At the top, the shaft 28 is provided with a suitably supported miter gear 32 by which the propeller 33 is driven.

To swing the suspended frame backward or forward, the platform carries the lever 34, the butt end of which has a roller-bearing connection with the transverse rectangular shaft 35, and thelever may be locked in any positionby the engagement of the handnieaaee latch 36 and quadrant 37. As' the platform 15 moves sidewise, the lever 34 moves with it, but, at any point the lever will turn the shaft 35 thus operating the arms 40 and 40a. The ends of shaft 35 are rounded and supported in suitable hangers 39 carried by the side bars of the suspended frame. lhe rods 41 and 42, extend rearwardly and up- Wardly, and are pivotally connected with the rearwardly-extending frame 2. lt is now thought to be made clear that .by means of the lever 34 and connections described, the suspended frame may be swung backward or forward. lf swung backward, the weight of the motor and operator, tending always to keep the suspending rods 20, 2l and their fellows, as Well as the curved braces 16, 17, and 18 vertical, will throw up the front of the main planes as indicated in Fig. 2. Swinging the suspended frame to the front will have a contrary-effect.

Now, considering especially, Figs. 5 and 7, it will be noted that the lever 43, provided with a hand latch in engagement with the toothed quadrant 44, has a lower rounded end 45 engaging one leg of a bell crank lever 46 by means of a slot 47 running lengthwise of the leg. rllhe bell crank turns on the pivot 48, shown on the bottom of the platform 15 1n Fig. 7, and the ivot is located at one side, but, about mi way Vbetween the ends of the platform to adord an even pull. The remaining arm of the bell crank 1s marked 49, and it has a longitudinal slot 50 engaging a pin 51 pro'ecting from a cross-bar 52 secured at its en s to the side bars 53 and 54 of the suspended frame. While the parts thus described constitute a simple and cheap contrivance for moving the platform sidewise, l do not limit myself to those parts or their construction as shown.

' The operation of this invention may he explained as follows: Let it be assumed that the invention is flying forward, and moving with considerable velocity. Naturally, the edect of the air upon the body of the operator and upon Aall the weightier parts carried low upon the suspended frame below the main planes will be to retard the lower portion of the kframe and turn the front edges of the main planes downwardly. rlhe operator lcould rectify that depression by turning the front portion of his horizontal runner downwardly, but, only at the eX- pense of his motor power and a decrease in his speed. By swinging his suspended frame rearwardly he accomplishes the same thing and presents no additional surface to theair through which he is rapidly passing. To direct this invention up or down quickly upon occasion, the operator may bring into play both the e'ect of his horizontal rudder and the swing of the suspended frame to displace his weight.

Whatever the position of the suspended frame, it is believed to be made out clearly by the foregoing explanation that an excessive rise of the main planes .at either right or left hand may be counteracted by moving the platform and, therefore, the weight to either side. Infact, the weight-shifting and rudder-operating machanisms mayA all work together, or independently as desired. I claim as my invention: 1. In an aeroplane,'the combination with the main planes, of a rearwardly-extending frame rigidly attached to the main planes,

la frame pivotally suspended from the main planesy and' arranged to beswung forward or rearward, javplatform supported by the said suspended frame below the main planes and constructed to move sidewise on said frame, the said platform having a seat for the operator, means .extending near to the seat for moving the platform sidewise on the said' frame in'either direction to balance lao planes.

.thesaid main p swung forward 'or rearward, a platformv supported b the said suspendedframe and fr -nectedfwith thel said rearwar the main fplanes, and means actuated bythe operator or moving the Asaid frame forward or rearward to depress or elevate 2. vIn an aeroplane, the combination with main planes, of a rearwardly-extending frame rigidly attached to the said main planes, a frame anes and arranged-- to be movable si ewise thereon, hand-operated Ameans'for. moving the said latform sidewise in either. direction, 'a rodpvotally conframe, and means includin hand-opera devices borne by the' sai latformand movable sidewise therewith w ereby a force frame rigidly attached'tothe the main lpivotally suspended from y-extenditriA may be exerted upon the said rod to elevate or depressy the main planes.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination with the main planes, of a rearwardly-extending main planes, a frame pivotally suspended from the main planes and arranged to be swung forward or rearward, a p atform supported by the said suspended frame below the main planes and constructed ,to move sidewise on said the main'plane's, of a. frame pivotally suspended from'the said planes and arranged to .be swung forward or rearward, a platf form supported l.by thellsuspended frame and mova le sidewisev 4 t 'ereon,'fhand-operated means for moving -Athesaid platform sidewise inv either direction,'and means connected with 'the said planesand with the 'said platform whereby they said suspended ame is swung forward or `rearward `and the said planes de ressed or elevated.

In testimony whereof in presence of twoA lwitnesses.

EDWARD H. WYMAN. Witnesses:

Homes R.: Gnonaa, E. S. HnNmmsoN.

aix my signature 

